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(No Model.)

` H. R. ALLEN.

CUTTING APPARATUS.

No. 304,686. I Patented Sept. 9, 1884.

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HRACE R. ALLEN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

CUTTING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 304,686, datedSeptember 9, 1884. Application sied November 2o, 1893. (Nomade.)

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE R. ALLEN, of Indianapolis, in the county ofMarion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Cutting Appa-` ratus for Harvesters; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthesame.

My invention relates to improvements in the cutting apparatus ofharvesters, the object being to overcome the ordinary sliding fric tionbetween the fiugerbar, the guard-ngcrs, and the cutter-bar; and itconsists in providing anti-friction devices for all the bearingpoints ofthe cutter-bar, also, means to prevent the clogging of the sickle, andconvenient 'means for lubricating the anti-friction rollers.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a vertical section taken lengthwise of one of theguard-fingers. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the guard-fingers andledger-plates, showing the rear and lower rollers, the cutter and fingerbar being removed. Fig. 3 is a plan of a portion of the finger-bar,showing the top of the lubricator., and also the sickles and one of thefingers.

Throughout the drawings, A represents the finger-bar; B, theguard-fingers; G, the cutterbar; G', the knives, and K theledger-plates. The finger-bar A is rolled from a plate of iron or steelinto the shape shown in cross-section in Fig. l, forming a base'plate,A', an overhanging top plate, A2, and an inclined connecting-plate, A.The ingers B are secured to the bar A by bolts H, which pass through theoverhanging portion A2 of such bar. In eachv finger is formed a circularrecess, B', Figs. 1 and 2, in which is journaled a roller, C, the bolt Hforming the pivot upon which the roller turns. The roller projectsforward slightly beyond the shoulders m, Fig. 2, so as to bear againstthe cutter-bar and sickle when they are in position, as shown in Fig. 3.The cutter-bar is of ordinary construction and operates in the usualmanner in connection with the ledger-plates K.

Instead of the ordinary sliding contact between the sicklebar and thengers, I form a square recess in each finger, Fig. 2, directly under thecutter-bar G. Hthin the space thus formed are journaled-rollers E, uponwhich the cutter-bar rests and reciprocates. Each roller E is j ournaledon a pin, e, which is held at the rear end by a recess in the ringer,and at the other by an opening in a flange of the ledger-plate,turneddown over the edge of the recess in which the roller is placed. The pine,besides forming a support for the roller, also holds the ledger-platein position, dispensing with the screw-fastening commonly employed.

In order to automatically lubricate the bearings of the anti-frictionrollers, I have mounted upon the finger-bar oil cups or reservoirs F,Fig. I. Each reservoir is made of.

sheet metal, with a bottom shaped to iit the upper surface of thefinger-bar, to which it is secured by the bolt II,before described.' Thereservoir is lled through a hole in the top, closed by a screw-plug,f,and has an outletorifice, J, extending along the bolt H, and leading theoil to the bearing of the roller C. A wick, I, is preferably placed inthe reservoir to absorb the oil,prevent its too rapid escape, andconduct it from the lower portion of the reservoir to the point ofdischarge. In the front part of the oil-cup is a recess, in which isjournaled' upon a'pin, d, aroller, D, which bears upon the upper surfaceof the sickle and aids to hold it in place.

In the cutting apparatus ordinarily used there is a tendency,inoperating,to crowd the sickle-bar back against the finger-bar, and alsoto give it an upward thrust. The effect of this, where there are planesurfaces land sliding friction, is to cause the sickle-bar to bend andclog. My method of interposing bearing-roll; ers between the planesurfaces ordinarily in contact reduces the friction and tends to preventclogging. This latter result is also attained by causing the iinger-barto project forward over the sickle-bar, as shown in Fig. l.

I may use a separate set of rollers and an oil-cup for each ringer, orone for every other finger, or may place them at different distancesapart, anduse any number that will accomplish the best results..

Having described my invention, I claiml. The combination, With theringer-bar, the guard-ingers, and the cutter-bar, of a series IOO ofhorizontal rollers pivoted between the finger-bar and the ngers, andpivot-bolts H, passing through said finger-bar and fingers,substantially as described.

2. In a reaper or mower, the combination of the ringer-bar, theguardiingers, the rollers C, the bolts H, and the oil-cups,substantiallyas described.

3. The combination, with the guard-fingers and rollers C E, journaled inseparate recesses therein, of the sliding cutter-bar and abearing-roller, D, journaled above the said cutterbar independently ofthe guard-fingers, all substantially as described.

4. In a reaper or mower, the combination ofthe recessed guard-fingers,the sickle-bar,

and the rollers E, iournaled in said recesses, substantially asdescribed.

5. The combination of the recessed guardfingers, the sickle-bar, therollers E, and the 2o fianged ledger-plates,substantially as set forth.

6. The combination ofmthe supported oilcups, the rollers D, and thesickle-bar, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with the nger-bar 25 having the elevated overhangingflange A2, of the fingers having circular recesses, the rollers C, andthe sickle-bar.

' HORACE R. ALLEN.

W`itnesses:

DA'rUs E. MYERS, SAMUEL A. MINTURN.

